Is Good - Good Enough? Part 2 of 2

In Part 1 we established that it is not “our good” but “Christ’s good” that we get to rely on for our salvation. So then, what role does “our good” play in our lives?

This is an area that I have struggled with at different times in my life. Trying to earn our own salvation can be a very frustrating place to be because you never feel like you are doing enough. You always think you need to do more to really please God. It wasn’t until I truly understood the following truth that I was able to fully overcome that faulty mentality:

Our works and the pursuit of a righteous life are not requirements for our salvation, they are the evidence of our salvation.

James 2 address this so well in verses 14-18

14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.

This passage tells us that a true saving faith produces works/deeds/action. This encompasses not just serving others, but also our desire to be obedient and pursue holiness.

One can have works without faith but we can’t have faith without works.

Faith comes first and then works follow as evidence of a true saving faith.

Stay hungry,

Big E